Monday, April 30, 2012

I am all about maximizing workout time. There aren't always hours to spare working out, sometimes there isn't even an hour to spare. This minute circuit workout is great because you can go for as long or as short as you'd like. If you only have a quick twenty minutes you can bust through it full force four times and be done. If you are wanting to go longer you can add in some more rounds!

MINUTE #1:00
Step ups with a shoulder press. Use your step and your dumbbells. Alternate legs as you step up and press your weights all the way overhead at the top. Go for the entire minute. Keep control, but go as quick as you can.

MINUTE #2:00
Push up Jumping Jacks. Get into a push up position. Do one full push up and then jump your legs out wide and back in. Follow with another push up and another leg jack. Etc. Keep your abs and core tight.

MINUTE #3:00
Jump rope. Keep it as consistent as you can! Aim to get your heart rate up!

MINUTE #4:00
Squat, Curl, Press w/dumbbells. Stand with your legs hip width apart, and your dumbbells in both hands. Squat down, come to standing position, do a bicep curl, and then press overhead. Repeat for the full minute.

MINUTE #5:00
Plank Rows. Get into an extended plank position with your weights on the inside of your hands. Grab one weight and row back with your elbow. Set the weight back down and switch arms. Repeat this for the full minute.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

I thoroughly enjoy doing product reviews. Who wouldn't love trying food that arrives on your doorstep like it's Christmas? However, I'm gonna be real honest here. This may have been one of the greatest reviews I've done yet.

Do you you know what this is?

Lots of empty wrappers. That is what it is. They are empty because I LOVED EVERY BITE!

Kristina from Go Raw sent me a bunch of their organic, whole, totally paleo approved snacks to review. Ohhh man, they were tasty. Now, I know that I have taste buds that like things like vegetables and fruits, but I have to tell you, I shared them with friends and my family and they loved them too! My favorite snack was the Pizza Flax Snax. Look at these ingredients...

Awesome.
These delicious cracker-like snacks are packed with fully organic, healthy ingredients. Some of the Go Raw Attributes are:

They have delicious snack rounds, cookie rounds, large bars, and snack size bars. I would say my favorites were the spirulina based treats, the pizza flax snax, and the original super cookies. LOVED them.

Go raw also offers some fantastic organic sprouted pumpkin seeds. They have a little bit of flavor to them and make the perfect snack all by their lonesome, or give some added nutrition a top a salad.

Oh and if you're wondering why these products are considered, "raw," this info may clear some things up...Kristina gave me some more info on the product procedure.

"Sortex:

We start with the highest quality confectionary grade 100% organic seeds (local/fair trade when available) but even then there is still a chance that impure seeds, rocks, glass and other foreign particles have slipped into the mix. Our State of the art Sorting machine determines the purity of our seeds with exceptional accuracy within a split second. On the basis of color, shape or other optical properties, defective items and foreign material are identified and separated from the product stream. Leaving only the best seeds to make their way to the next step.

X-Ray Machine:We have implemented an X-Ray machine to scan for any foreign particles that may have tried to sneak in. We want our final product to be of the upmost highest quality possible and are taking every precaution to achieve this. This X-Ray machine has been approved by our Organic Certifiers and is completely safe.

Washing of the Seeds:Washing of the seeds is taken very seriously here. Seeds are from the ground thus very dirty. We want to ensure that they are completely clean, so we have a special seed washing machine that thoroughly washes them 3 times in purified water.

Sprouting: While all raw foods contain enzymes, sprouts are the most enzyme dense food on the planet. The most rapid part of growth of a plantis during its initial stages as a sprout, dehydrating the seeds at this stage of their cycle preserves this precious state and passes along these vital enzymes.

Mixing:Once our seeds have been sorted, washed, and sprouted, we mix in the other Organic ingredients.

Hand Spread Products:Products are shown with the utmost respect and carefully spread out onto trays by hand.

Custom Dehydration System:We were unable to find a dehydration system that lived up to our standards so we custom designed our own. Our Dehydration system is fully regulated and controlled to maintain the proper humidity, temperature and water activity levels to achieve a superior product. Our Dehydration system maintains an average temperature of 97 degrees, ensuring that our sprouted seeds are still alive and well. If you plant them they will grow!"

And of course, I had to save the best for last...The Go Raw Chocolate squares...These chewy delights are super tasty, and they also offer chocolate mint and chocolate orange. Helloooo. Chocolate mint? Yes, please.

Thanks for the awesome opportunity to review some great, healthy products. They were delicious, portable, kid friendly, and I would gladly purchase any of them. I am craving those pizza flax snax, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to have to get me some more ASAP! If you want more info on the awesome Go Raw products, click HERE!

- Burning calories in the best way possible. Playing dance central with some AWESOME people. Don't mind the blur...it's hard to catch people when their moves are so uncatchable.

- The Barre Bootcamp class last night was AWESOME. I am surprisingly SUPER sore. In a good way! It felt good to work my muscles differently than usual! My girls that came to class, please tell me you are sore too?? I got to meet some new people, and we had a great time. Our barres weren't shipped in time for class, but they'll be here next week. Speaking of next week...we're offering another free class next Wednesday at 7:00 PM, so if you couldn't make it last night COME next week!

- My sister Nichole and my Mom flew in last night for the weekend! I get to spend the next few days with them, and I couldn't be happier!! We have such a good time together, that is for sure. We are missing you here Linds!! That is for sure!

Happy. Happy. Happy.

Oh. And my sister showed me this pic today. Hilarious, right?

What is making YOU happy this week? I hope lots and lots of things. :)

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Just a reminder... tonight I'm teaching a FREE Barre Bootcamp class at The LAB.

It is an awesome workout that uses a combination of ballet exercises with core work to tone and tighten. With a focus on the buns, legs, and core we'll make working hard fun :) The class starts at 7:00 PM tonight, and is open to anyone! Wear tight fitting workout clothing, and come get your sweat on!

Thursday, April 19, 2012

So, in April of 2007 I ran my first race. My best friend Benita and I ran the Salt Lake Half Marathon. That was 5 years ago? Whaaa? Time flies.

It was so much fun. We were both super nervous, and had no idea what to expect. We really loved it, and it was a great experience.

I have a client running The Salt Lake Half this Saturday, and it is her first race. We talked about it today getting her all pumped and prepared. My suggestions on what helped me, what to expect, and what to not worry about. It took me back!

My suggestions for a first timer?

- Be confident about what you can control, don't worry about what you can't.
- Follow a training plan, and then trust that you are prepared in your training.
- You can't change the weather. You can dress accordingly. Don't let it stress you out.
- Wear comfortable clothing that you have tried out in training.
- Try you pre-race meal out in your training
- Lay out your clothing the night before. Check and double check that you have
- Do your homework. Read up on the course, find out about aid stations, know what is provided at those aid stations. This will alleviate surprises.
- Take matters into your own hands. I bring my own shot blocks because I don't want to worry if aid stations are going to have what I need. I also come prepared with chap stick, anti-chaffing lotion, gum, etc.
- Charge up the night before. If you are running with an iPod, garmin, heart rate monitor etc. Make sure that it is all charged up and ready to go the night before. I have started a race with a dead ipod. It isn't fun.
- Take a moment and take it in. Even if you have to have your music to make it through, take some time to take out the headphones and listen to the crowd cheering you on! It is such a cool experience.
- Take advantage of the perks afterwords. Everyone loves free food and massages. Duh.
- MOST IMPORTANTLY...embrace the fear. Races are nerve wracking because they are challenging. They are also AWESOME because they are challenging. If they weren't hard, it wouldn't be a big deal and everyone would do them. Remember that this is an AWESOME accomplishment because it is a challenge. Let your adrenaline work in your favor!
- GIVE IT ALL YOU'VE GOT!!

What was your first race? What advice would you give to a first time racer??

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Good news peeps. We are continuing to add to the classes that are available at The LAB! This next Wednesday, April 25th, I will be teaching Barre Bootcamp! Booty Blasting Ballet class.

If you have never done a barre fitness class, you really need to try it out! It is an amazing fat burning workout for long, lean muscles. Don't worry, you do not need to be a ballerina to love this class! The great thing about barre fitness is that it can be adapted for all fitness levels. The first class is free, so come and try it out!

Monday, April 16, 2012

You know the story about the person who wants to eat an elephant? Long story short...or short story even shorter...
Elephants are huge.
You couldn't possibly eat one in one sitting. (Why would you want to? Gross.)
However, you could eat it one bite at a time.

There are so many situations that could be paralleled with this scenario, but I think health goals fit right along perfectly. Trying to lose weight, improve your diet, and work at any other health goals can be very daunting. Trying to do it all in one day is impossible. You may last a day or two if you go at it %250, but if you last longer than that I'd be surprised.

I don't mean to sound discouraging I am just being realistic. The truth of the matter is when you are attempting to do something hard, the best way to do it (and stick to it) is by doing things a little bit at a time. My sister's cute sister-in-law, was chatting with me on Sunday about eating clean and such and in talking about eliminating sugar and processed foods she said, "I guess I need to just do it one thing at a time." I have been thinking about just how RIGHT she is.

In working with my clients I have them pick something they want to work on for the week. We usually have a dietary goal and an exercise goal. Something measurable, something manageable, but something that will help them to reach their ultimate end goal.
Examples of these goals may be...
- ___ times of exercise per week for 45 mins
- eliminating _____ food that seems to be causing upheaval in the diet
- eating 4 servings of veggies per day
- Getting in ___ runs per week.
You get the point. Each of these goals is specific. You are taking the steps necessary to achieve the bigger picture. If a client tries to make a goal that is too overwhelming I always make them seriously question the reality of the scenario. I am a huge fan of accomplishing big things, and if you are willing to make the sacrifices necessary to accomplish those big things than BY ALL MEANS... DO IT! However, if by setting your goals you are only setting yourself up for failure, you are getting NOWHERE.

You might not lose 30 lbs in a week, but if you stick to your plan and lose two pounds a week you WILL get there. You may not have a perfect diet today, but if you are willing to keep working towards it, changing what you can, you will be amazed at what you are capable of. You may not be able to go outside and run a marathon today, but if you train properly and take the necessary steps towards doing so you CAN do it. Speaking of...Congrats to my sweet friend Rachelle who OWNED the Boston Marathon today! She finished in 3:22. AMAZING. Congrats to everyone else who ran it as well!!

Bottom line. Start somewhere. Instead of going for the whole elephant, just take on the elephant ear this week...but don't you dare actually go eat elephant ears! ;) (Did you guys call those giant scones elephant ears? Just me? No?) Prepare yourself for success, and not for failure. Make a plan, a feasible one, and stick to it. Changing your life and your body means actually making changes. I love the quote..."If you always do what you've always done, you'll always be what you've always been." You absolutely cannot expect to do the same things and get different results. So, pick what you are going to change, and DO IT. :)

What changes are you going to make this week? Do you find it easier to ease into change or to go cold turkey/100%? What were your habits when you have seen the most success in your accomplishments?

Sunday, April 15, 2012

One of the things I miss most about eating grains is cereal. I am like a cereal monster. I am pretty sure I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, and dinner if I'd allow it. It never gets old to me. It is quick. It is refreshing. Gosh...it's just good. I remember coming home from school as a kid and cereal was always my go to snack of choice. Who doesn't want to celebrate the day of school coming to an end with some Crunchy Corn Bran and Zack Morris?

Side note: My mom didn't let us have sugar cereal until I was in like 6th grade, and all my other brothers and sisters were grown up and gone. We would get a box of sugar cereal with our stocking or for special occasions, but we mainly stuck to Rice Chex, Corn Flakes, Rice Krispies, Crunchy Corn Bran, and Cream of Wheat. What my mom may not have realized was that I was adding half of the sugar bowl to my cereal. You know your cereal was nice and sweetened when you rinsed out your bowl and a thick sludge of sugar and milk was left at the bottom. I think she finally got sick of me asking for Lucky Charms, (or maybe she caught on to my excessive spoonfuls of sugar) when I got a little bit older and she finally caved. Enter the sugar coated phase of life...Apple Jacks, Oh's, Lucky Charms, Fruit Loops, Cinnamon Mini Buns, Cocoa Pebbles, Trix, and my favorite...Count Chocula. Ahhh...life was good.

While I am not a sugar cereal buyer these days. I still love it, and I am a big fan of some of the healthier options. Nonetheless, since experimenting with the Paleo eating I have missed the quick and satisfying option of a bowl of cereal. It was because of this that I came up with the next best thing...

So, it's not exactly cereal, but it's the next best thing. It really is so tasty too! You could add whatever else you want to it...dried fruit, other nuts, shredded unsweetened coconut etc.

Yesterday was a GREAT workout day. I started the morning with a restorative yoga class at The LAB, and then I completed my ten miler at my scheduled pace with no problem! It made me so happy. I'm hoping that my runs continue to go the way I want them to. I'm trying to build that running confidence back up!

This weekend my sister ended up coming into town from Austin for a funeral, so I got to see her for a bit which was so fun. I sure do love her!!

Are you a cereal lover? If so, what is your favorite kind? Do you love the healthy kinds or the sugar coated delights? I love em all. I am not a respecter of cereals. :)

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Today was awesome. I was able to get in a 6 mile tempo run that actually felt GREAT. It am still trying to figure out my nutrition with my Paleo eating and my endurance training, so I feel like I never know how my runs are going to go. Today was great!

Later today I met up with the lovely ladies I work with at The Lab for a fitness adventure.

We drove up to the Imagination Place in Salt Lake to try out some antigravity yoga. Antigravity yoga is a combination of yoga, gymnastics, dance, pilates, and calisthenics. You use hammocks that hang from the ceiling to bend, stretch, swing, and hang. It is almost trapeze like.

It was so awesome! At some points we were swinging and flipping, other times we were stretching, and then we'd move into inversions and just hang for a bit. It was so fun to try something new, and I absolutely loved it. The reason we wanted to go test this class out is because we are looking to bring antigravity yoga to the lab!

We finished our night with a deliciously healthy meal at the Blue Lemon, and some shopping at City Creek. It was so. much. fun.

Have you ever done antigravity yoga before? Do you like to go and try new fitness adventures?

I have wanted to give you a tour of The Lab since day one. Can I just tell you, that I love this place with my whole heart. I think my clients have loved being here too! We have some awesome state of the art equipment that makes training fun and exciting. The possibilities are endless! These pictures may not do it justice, but it's the coolest. Trust me.

Because we consider our facility a functional fitness studio we have a
great combination of cutting edge equipment and open space to move in. We work with all sorts of clients that are working towards many different goals. From weight loss and strength training to athletic performance and rehabilitation, The Lab's approach to health and fitness is realistic and fun.

The equipment that makes up the majority of our workouts includes TRX
trainers, a Free Motion dual cable cross machine, Bosu balls, physio
balls,
kettle bells, medicine balls, dumbbells, olympic rings, a climbing rope,
and of course creativity and the best tool of all...plain and simple
body weight.

I love our hanging bar system that can be used for bench press, squats,
and power lifts. The bar system has hand clamps that allows you to stop
the bar in mid air if necessary. It allows you to perfect your form and
move with the body's natural motion instead of being restricted to the
way a machine is set up. It also makes for a safer lifting system because you
are able to let go of the clamps and leave the bar at any point. It is
legit.

We have an awesome selection of brand new cardio equipment and some flat screen TV's that make it real easy to get your sweat on!

And last but not least...we have a separate group fitness room we call The Yoga Lab. Our yoga classes thus far have been phenomenal, and they are just the start of the group fitness options we are going to offer! I am super excited about it.

Monday, April 9, 2012

I had a lot of questions and comments about what a typical meal plan is like for the Paleo way that I am currently eating. I am of course, more than happy to share with the class. I want to start by saying that I am surprised at just how possible it is to eat this way. I think that it sounds harder at face value than it really is, more so because it means having to give up foods that are a big part of your normal routine. It is more a matter of changing up your routine to new foods than anything. You will find that you become a lot more comfortable with this way of eating as you develop new, different patterns.

Breakfast:
I aim to get 25-30 grams of protein in for breakfast, along with some good fat because it keeps me full.
2 eggs and 2 oz of turkey jerky (I have loved the natural turkey jerky you can get at Costco)or
1 oz of almonds and 3 oz of turkey jerky or
3 eggs
Honestly I haven't strayed far from this in the creative realm because I don't have much time in the morning. I will occasionally thrown in a handful of blackberries because I love em'.

I absolutely LOVE these. I make a ginormous batch and eat them with my lunches and dinner.orAvocado
Chicken Salad

+
a heaping pile of roasted veggies
or
a Paleo-fied salad bar to go, from one of my fave restaurants. Complete with:
Spinach, cucumbers, beets, carrots, eggs, broccoli, cauliflower, sprouts, sunflower seeds, fresh pineapple, and occasionally some cottage cheese on top. (There are different avenues of paleo eating, some allow full fat dairy, some don't) I refrained from eating dairy for the first 30 days, but I added the cottage cheese back in because I need the protein and the calcium.

Dinner:
The interesting thing about the way I've been eating is that a lot of the time dinner will come around and I am not all that hungry. My dinners look like my lunches a lot of the time. Other dinner items?
Grilled Chicken/shredded chicken/baked chicken...(you can eat whatever kind of meat you want, but I am not a big meat eater, so...chicken it is)
Crock Pot Coconut Chicken Curry recipe found HERE
Salads with all sorts of veggies and chicken
Eggs
My Paleo Cereal...aka a chopped up apple, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 TBS slivered almonds and some almond milk.

Snacks:
Baby carrots
Fruit mostly berries, but some apples, oranges, and kiwis thrown in there too.
One of my favorite treats has been slicing up bananas and freezing them.
Lots of Almonds (my favorite are the ones dusted/roasted with cocoa powder)
Turkey Jerky

I am a total creature of habit, so this really is the majority of what I have been eating. I'm going to post a list tomorrow of foods that are considered "paleo approved" to help further answer your questions. Just because I am not eating it doesn't mean it isn't something that you can eat!

Other questions...
- How do you pronounce "Paleo?"...it's not Puh-lay-o...it's Pay-lee-oh. As in...Paleolithic.

- Courtney asked about the picture of my salad in THIS post...about my one month paleo report. She wondered why I was eating chickpeas because garbanzo beans are a legume..legumes are not paleo approved. There are actually no chickpeas in that salad. It is a salad from Chipotle, and I think what you are thinking might be chickpeas are actually chunks of tomato. Or it could be the chicken? The only items on that salad are lettuce, chicken, LOTS of fresh chunky salsa, and guacamole. Yep..it was delicious.

- What are Cherry Pickers? Cassie asked this a few weeks ago. Cherry pickers are an ab exercise that is GREAT for the whole core because it works the back, the abdominal wall, and the obliques. THIS youtube video is a perfect demo!

Any other questions for me about Paleo eating, or anything else? I'd love to hear them! I am also really excited about some companies that are sending me some paleo approved snacks. I'll keep you updated on them as they come!

Thursday, April 5, 2012

Sometimes I feel like I science project. I realize that could be read incorrectly like... "I feel like frozen yogurt." No, I don't feel like doing a science project. I feel like I myself am a science project. I am always researching, reading about cool and fun new workouts, and looking for the best ways to help my clients. It is for this reason that I do a lot of the things I do. Things might make sense to me on paper, or in theory...but unless I myself have tried it and seen that it actually works, I don't recommend it to anyone else. My coworkers and I joke about if all the different things that we go through have tortured our bodies to a place where they are resistant to change, but I really hope that isn't the case. ;)

With this being said, let's flash back to a month ago when I decided to implement the Paleo way of living into my diet. I'll be honest with you...the thought of changing up my macronutrient percentages up so that my fat intake was quite a bit higher and my carbohydrate percentage was a lot lower freaked me out a bit. I am not naturally prone to eating a lot of protein because of the foods I normally like, which is why I talk about improving my protein intake a lot. It is not because I think that eating strictly protein is the healthy way of life, but it is because if left to my own cravings I'd sit down with a box of reduced fat wheat thins, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, a bowl of cereal, and a whole lot of fruits and veggies. Not a whole lot of protein to be had there.

I committed to sticking to the Paleo way of eating for 21 days, and then I said I would reevaluate. Well, it's been a month and I'm still at it. I had a good chunk of days in there where I was oh so blessed with the stomach flu and so all I ate was saltines and sprite zero, so I figured it was only right to go the whole month.

These are my observations:
- The first week was the toughest. I had to reprogram my way of eating, thinking, snacking, everything. However, after that first week it hasn't been hard at all. I've even been able to eat out and find options (some of which have been straight up delightful). It just takes some thinking. Heaven forbid we think about what we are eating?

- I have increased the good fats in my diet quite drastically. We're talking lots of avocados, olive oil, whole eggs instead of just the whites, and nuts (with the exception of peanuts)...and it didn't cause my weight or body fat to sky rocket up. I am actually down 5 pounds. I feel like I am smaller inch-wise as well. I should have measured, but I didn't. My stomach feels slimmer and less bloated.
- I am eating a lot of protein (in the form of chicken, turkey, eggs, and nuts), but I am eating a TON of fresh produce. I would say probably 6-8 servings a day of fruits and veggies, at least, if not more.
- I am never starving. This is the amazing thing to me. With my old habits, I would wake up so hungry for my 5 AM breakfast of oatmeal. Then, I would usually find myself absolutely ravenous by the time 9, 10, and most certainly 11 came around. With the combination of fats, protein, and fiber from my current diet I am far more aware of and amazed at my hunger cues. I don't wake up hungry. I eat my breakfast and am not hungry for lunch until 1 or 2. SO weird for me. After lunch I am not hankering for a snack or dinner at 3 PM like usual. It's crazy. I'm not used to that. It goes to show me how much the carbs we eat sometimes just go right through us, and instead of filling us up, spiking our blood sugar and leaving us looking for something else to eat.
- I have struggled with my long runs. Lifting feels awesome to me, and I can make it through my hour long lifting sessions with no problem, but my running has been more difficult. I know this is partially because I had a week of being sick (and feeling like I was breathing through a straw), and partially because I have a lower carb intake. I'm still trying to figure this one out. I need to work on proper fueling in a way that works for me with how I want to eat. My ten miler last Friday felt like a 2,000 mile run with ankle weights on.
- I did rely on the 80/20 rule. In the book the Primal Blueprint, the author talks about the 80/20 rule. He says that if you can stick pretty close to perfection 80 percent of the time, you can allow for a few slip ups with that 20 percent. In my head, I equated this to a cheat meal each week. However, I'm not one to sit down to a big ole pizza anyways...so my cheat meal actually just meant I let myself have some frozen yogurt. It kept me sane, and happy with life. I know others at The Lab have been allowing themselves a full on cheat meal once a week, and they are still seeing great results.
- I've learned that you have to be prepared with a lot of produce. You just have to. That is a GREAT problem to have though. My favorite go to snacks at the moment are fresh blackberries, my cocoa roasted almonds and my frozen banana slices.
- I am going to stick with it for now. Crazy right? As I said before, I don't think that whole grains are the root of all evil. That is not why I am doing this. I think there is a place for everything in moderation, and I'm still trying to figure out how and if I want to work those things back into my diet. For now, I'm loving the way that I feel, and it is working for me, so I am going to keep at it.

I have loved and appreciated all of your awesome comments, suggestions, and thoughts on the matter whether you are for or against, and I want you to keep them coming! Do you have any Paleo questions for me? If you are eating this way how long have you stuck with it, and what do you think it has done for you?

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

In my efforts to eat Paleo I have really had to get creative to keep my food options from getting boring. I'm not going to lie...this may be one of my easiest creations yet, and it is SO delicious. If you like guacamole, you'll LOVE this avocado chicken salad. There are so many ways you could eat it, but I love it solo.

I got to run outside today, and I even got a bit of a sunburn. You have no idea how happy this makes me. There is something so soothing and therapeutic about being in the sun. Vitamin D really is good fro the soul.

Have you been able to workout outside? Are you enjoying warm sunshine?

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

Earlier today I mentioned that I had an AWESOME workout. I was thinking about why I loved it so much, and I realized that I had music pumping me up. Ever since my iPod incident I have been music-less. You know how much I love my tunes while I work out, and having to rely on whatever jams are being played at the gym can be rough. I borrowed a friends armband that holds my iPhone and so I had all my favorites coming at me. I have been LOVING the song Titanium by David Guetta feat. Sia. It is SO. Dang. Legit. Every time I hear it I am re-energized.

Well, I want you to be just as pumped as I was!
So...for anyone who leaves a comment with your email address today or tomorrow...I'll send it to ya! (it has to be a gmail address for it to work!)
xoxoxo Megs

Today's workout for me was twenty minutes of intervals on the elliptical and 60 minutes of lifting. I was LOVING it. Yesterday was a running/core day for me, and my enthusiasm for the two days was pretty different. It felt great to get my run on yesterday, and my core work actually made my abs sore which never usually happens...BUT I loved my lifting workout today. It is crazy how we go through cycles of what we love in our workouts. Sometimes running is all that can quench my exercising appetite, and the thought of lifting a heavy object is revolting. Other days I feel so strong and powerful when I do my resistance training and it's all I can do to keep myself doing some cardio.

I think that it is always good to mix up your workouts. I say that all the time, but I also think that you do what feels fun and exciting to you. Maybe that means going for a hike, or taking a bike ride? Maybe to you, what sounds fun is a banging Zumba class with a room full of super enthused people that will keep your energy going. Find something that feels fun or good to you and do it! Train for a race, take a dance class, join a yoga studio. Do whatever is going to get you moving that you LOVE, because if you don't love it...you aren't going to stick to it!

**repeated 3 times, alternating exercises**
15 squat throws with an 18 lb med ball
10 step ups with DB on the right leg
10 step ups with DB on the left leg
12 Med ball squat/plank/throws (with these I place the med ball down on the ground in front of me, squat down, put my hands on top of it, balancing, and step my feet back into a plank. Step the feet back in to standing, grab the med ball, throw it up and catch it. Set it back down and repeat)

Monday, April 2, 2012

Well my friends today has been a great Monday. I have been thinking this weekend a lot about the power of positivity and optimism. The power of our internal thoughts and beliefs is so fascinating to me. I think there is a lot to be said for a good attitude. Have you ever taken a minute and evaluated your self talk?

Do any of these sound familiar??
"Ugh. My hair looks awful today?"
"I'm a pound up on the scale. I am huge. I am so fat."
"I missed a workout today. My pants aren't going to fit tomorrow."
"I am not nearly as skinny/tall/fast/well endowed/fit/toned as so and so."
"I didn't get ANYthing done I needed to today."
"I wished I wouldn't have eaten that. Failure."
and so on and so on.

Negativity is a killer. It really is. Unfortunately, I know way too many of us make comments similar to these day in and day out. We see others and compare ourselves to how well we think they are doing. We compare ourselves to how we used to be. We knock ourselves down for a misstep, or a setback. It happens way too often, and it can be so damaging.

Sometimes the negative comments I hear my clients and friends make (or that I find myself making) make me sad. We beat ourselves up. We find SO many reasons why we just aren't adding up. I can tell you this much: negativity does nothing but bring us down, make us feel sad, and stop our progress. We need to remember that NOBODY is perfect. Nope, not even the 100 lb girl running on the treadmill next to you in her sports bra with her six pack.

Now look at the flip side...
Think of how great you feel after you KILL an awesome workout, spend time with the people you love, make a delicious and healthy meal, see a beautiful sunrise, check off a few things on your "to do" list, and my favorite...when you laugh so hard you cry. (See photo below)

There is power in positivity. That I know to be true. When we think positive thoughts, try to look at the bright side, and surround ourselves with happy people and situations we will thrive. A negative attitude will eat away at you and eventually will leave you feeling hopeless and helpless. A positive attitude can buoy you up and get you through hard things. A positive outlook on a workout will make it manageable. Focusing on the great way you feel and the beneficial aspects of eating healthy and getting a good nights sleep will keep you in the right frame of mind. Change your mindset from "I can't." to "I can." It works wonders.

Yes, there will be slip ups, but guess what? Tomorrow is a new day, and you have the power to make it a great one.

Yep, you may feel pretty low on the perfection scale some days, but find gratitude in the great things you have to offer. Even if all you can muster is that you are still breathing.

You know, there may be times when you want to throw in the towel completely...but don't...because you are amazing, capable, and you just might surprise yourself.

Take a second and make a list of the things that you like about yourself, about your life, about your family...or whatever positive thoughts you can think of. Put it somewhere where you can find it when you need some reminding about just how great you are.